Dos & Don'ts at Mass

 

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 29th May 2022

On this Feast of the Ascension, we celebrate Christ’s triumphant return to the Father after perfectly accomplishing His mission on earth. But we also can also view this Feast as a celebration of the “launch day” of our commissioning as Christ’s disciples.

Both the First Reading and today’s Gospel draw our attention to the clear instructions that Jesus gave His disciples just before ascending to the Father. In the First Reading, from Acts, He tells them (and us) “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Then in the Gospel, from Luke, we read, “Jesus said to his disciples: “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things."

Embracing a stewardship way of life, with its emphasis on the use of time, talent, and treasure, helps us to live in such a way that our very lives speak as a witness of the Good News of the Gospel. While we take time to reflect and renew our commitments in these three areas annually as a parish family, it is of great benefit to take some time individually throughout the year to take stock of the commitments we have made — looking at both our strengths and our need for continued growth in each area.

In the use of Time, we can ask ourselves if we are keeping the particular prayer commitments we have made. If so, have I noticed a deepened closeness to our Lord and an increase in virtue in my daily life? Perhaps I have let one or two of my “holy habits” go by the wayside. Then simply re-commit to them. Or maybe my prayer commitments have become routine and I could carry them out more intentionally once again. Maybe my schedule has changed and I need to establish a new time to pray. 

In the use of Talent, have I stayed faithful to the ministry commitments I made? How is my attitude towards serving? Am I joyful and humble about the work I am doing? How has my serving of others changed and blessed me?

Finally, let’s take a look at our use of Treasure. Have I been generous in my financial giving? If so, have I noticed a deepening trust in God’s care for me? Have I become a little more detached from the pull of materialism that surrounds us all in this day and age?

A stewardship way of life is challenging because it is counter-cultural to put God and others before ourselves. But that is precisely why this way of life is such a powerful witness to the message of the Gospel. And we can embrace this way of life with great confidence and joy because we are not expected to do this on our own. Our Gospel passage today tells us we are “clothed with power from on high.” Whether it is as small a detail as finding a new prayer time, or as big as changing career paths to be more available to loved ones, we have the power of the Holy Spirit to show us the way, 

On this Feast of the Ascension, take the time to celebrate your victories as Christ’s disciples and renew your commitment to remain faithful to Him and the unique mission He has entrusted to you!

 

Mass Reading: Sunday - 29th May 2022

First reading
Acts 1:1-11
Jesus was lifted up while they looked on

    In my earlier work, Theophilus, I dealt with everything Jesus had done and taught from the beginning until the day he gave his instructions to the apostles he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. He had shown himself alive to them after his Passion by many demonstrations: for forty days he had continued to appear to them and tell them about the kingdom of God. When he had been at table with them, he had told them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for what the Father had promised. ‘It is’ he had said ‘what you have heard me speak about: John baptised with water but you, not many days from now, will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’

    Now having met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, has the time come? Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth.’

    As he said this he was lifted up while they looked on, and a cloud took him from their sight. They were still staring into the sky when suddenly two men in white were standing near them and they said, ‘Why are you men from Galilee standing here looking into the sky? Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, this same Jesus will come back in the same way as you have seen him go there.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 46(47):2-3,6-9

God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.

All peoples, clap your hands,
    cry to God with shouts of joy!
For the Lord, the Most High, we must fear,
    great king over all the earth.

God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.

God goes up with shouts of joy;
    the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.
Sing praise for God, sing praise,
    sing praise to our king, sing praise.

God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.

God is king of all the earth,
    sing praise with all your skill.
God is king over the nations;
    God reigns on his holy throne.

God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.

________

Second reading
Ephesians 1:17-23
God made him sit at his right hand in heaven

May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and perception of what is revealed, to bring you to full knowledge of him. May he enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope his call holds for you, what rich glories he has promised the saints will inherit and how infinitely great is the power that he has exercised for us believers. This you can tell from the strength of his power at work in Christ, when he used it to raise him from the dead and to make him sit at his right hand, in heaven, far above every Sovereignty, Authority, Power, or Domination, or any other name that can be named not only in this age but also in the age to come. He has put all things under his feet and made him, as the ruler of everything, the head of the Church; which is his body, the fullness of him who fills the whole creation.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Mt28:19,20

Alleluia, alleluia!

Go, make disciples of all the nations.
I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Luke 24:46-53
He withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven

Jesus said to his disciples:

    ‘You see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.

    ‘And now I am sending down to you what the Father has promised. Stay in the city then, until you are clothed with the power from on high.’

    Then he took them out as far as the outskirts of Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. Now as he blessed them, he withdrew from them and was carried up to heaven. They worshipped him and then went back to Jerusalem full of joy; and they were continually in the Temple praising God.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Bulletin - 22nd May 2022

 

Mass Reading: Sunday - 22nd May 2022

First reading
Acts 15:1-2,22-29
It has been decided by the Spirit and by ourselves not to burden you with any burden beyond these essentials

    Some men came down from Judaea and taught the brothers, ‘Unless you have yourselves circumcised in the tradition of Moses you cannot be saved.’ This led to disagreement, and after Paul and Barnabas had had a long argument with these men it was arranged that Paul and Barnabas and others of the church should go up to Jerusalem and discuss the problem with the apostles and elders.

    Then the apostles and elders decided to choose delegates to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; the whole church concurred with this. They chose Judas known as Barsabbas and Silas, both leading men in the brotherhood, and gave them this letter to take with them:

    ‘The apostles and elders, your brothers, send greetings to the brothers of pagan birth in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia. We hear that some of our members have disturbed you with their demands and have unsettled your minds. They acted without any authority from us; and so we have decided unanimously to elect delegates and to send them to you with Barnabas and Paul, men we highly respect who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accordingly we are sending you Judas and Silas, who will confirm by word of mouth what we have written in this letter. It has been decided by the Holy Spirit and by ourselves not to saddle you with any burden beyond these essentials: you are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols; from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from fornication. Avoid these, and you will do what is right. Farewell.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 66(67):2-3,5-6,8

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.

O God, be gracious and bless us
    and let your face shed its light upon us.
So will your ways be known upon earth
    and all nations learn your saving help.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.

Let the nations be glad and exult
    for you rule the world with justice.
With fairness you rule the peoples,
    you guide the nations on earth.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.

Let the peoples praise you, O God;
    let all the peoples praise you.
May God still give us his blessing
    till the ends of the earth revere him.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.

________

Second reading
Apocalypse 21:10-14,22-23
He showed me the holy city coming down out of heaven

    In the spirit, the angel took me to the top of an enormous high mountain and showed me Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down from God out of heaven. It had all the radiant glory of God and glittered like some precious jewel of crystal-clear diamond. The walls of it were of a great height, and had twelve gates; at each of the twelve gates there was an angel, and over the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel; on the east there were three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. The city walls stood on twelve foundation stones, each one of which bore the name of one of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

    I saw that there was no temple in the city since the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb were themselves the temple, and the city did not need the sun or the moon for light, since it was lit by the radiant glory of God and the Lamb was a lighted torch for it.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn14:23

Alleluia, alleluia!

Jesus said: ‘If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him, 
and we shall come to him.’

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
John 14:23-29
A peace the world cannot give is my gift to you

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we shall come to him and make our home with him.
Those who do not love me do not keep my words.
And my word is not my own:
it is the word of the one who sent me.
I have said these things to you while still with you;
but the Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you everything
and remind you of all I have said to you.
Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you,
a peace the world cannot give,
this is my gift to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
You heard me say: I am going away, and shall return.
If you loved me you would have been glad to know that I am going to the Father,
for the Father is greater than I.
I have told you this now before it happens,
so that when it does happen you may believe.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 22nd May 2022

 

The concept of hospitality is fundamental to a stewardship way of life. When we envision hospitality, we naturally think of offering a sincere and warm welcome — to those new to our parish, for instance. We picture inviting them in and making them feel at home and at ease in our presence, communicating to them that they are highly valued.
 
Today’s Gospel reading from John invites us to think of hospitality in a slightly different way. In it, we hear Jesus speaking this to his disciples: “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.”  
 
Jesus is asking that we permit the Blessed Trinity to come and dwell within us. This is a stunning request. It tells us that our first and most privileged form of hospitality should be directed towards God Himself.
 
How does one show hospitality to God? How do we make God “at home and at ease” within us? How can we communicate to God that He is “highly valued” by us? Jesus tells us how: we are to keep His word, to follow HIs teachings.
 
To keep His word, we must know His word. This takes discipline and effort on our part.  We must make the study of Scripture and Church teaching a priority in our daily lives. This can be done in small and simple ways. Perhaps you can commit to setting your alarm ten minutes early to meditate on the day’s Gospel. Perhaps you could read a paragraph of the Catechism with your family at dinner. You could pray over a portion of the Psalms before going to bed at night. You can join (or start!) a Bible study right here at the parish. There are many ways to grow in knowledge and love of God’s word.
 
Over time these simple practices can radically change one’s life. We will begin to more easily think like Jesus, respond like Jesus, and live like Jesus. We really will form our minds, hearts, and souls into a place where the Blessed Trinity is pleased to dwell. 
 
How is this possible? Because we have an Unseen Teacher with us as we seek to know and keep God’s word. Jesus tells us so later in this same Gospel passage. “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” Ask the Holy Spirit to show you when and how you can get to know God’s word in your particular circumstances and then commit to it!
 
If we want our parish to be a place of genuine Christian hospitality, we must be sure that our own hearts are hospitable dwelling places for the Blessed Trinity.  Then our smiles and words, our greetings and ministries will radiate with the warmth of God’s love. And our parish family will become at least a little bit like Heaven on earth. This is the simplicity and glory of a stewardship way of life.

Bulletin: Sunday - 15th May 2022

 

Mass Reading: Sunday -15th May 2022

First reading
Acts 14:21-27
They gave an account to the church of all that God had done with them

    Paul and Barnabas went back through Lystra and Iconium to Antioch. They put fresh heart into the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith. ‘We all have to experience many hardships’ they said ‘before we enter the kingdom of God.’ In each of these churches they appointed elders, and with prayer and fasting they commended them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe.

    They passed through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. Then after proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia and from there sailed for Antioch, where they had originally been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.

    On their arrival they assembled the church and gave an account of all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the pagans.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 144(145):8-13a

I will bless your name for ever, O God my King.

The Lord is kind and full of compassion,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.
How good is the Lord to all,
    compassionate to all his creatures.

I will bless your name for ever, O God my King.

All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord,
    and your friends shall repeat their blessing.
They shall speak of the glory of your reign
    and declare your might, O God,
to make known to men your mighty deeds
    and the glorious splendour of your reign.

I will bless your name for ever, O God my King.

Yours is an everlasting kingdom;
    your rule lasts from age to age.

I will bless your name for ever, O God my King.

________

Second reading
Apocalypse 21:1-5
A vision of the heavenly Jerusalem, the bride of the Lamb

    I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth; the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared now, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the holy city, and the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, as beautiful as a bride all dressed for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice call from the throne, ‘You see this city? Here God lives among men. He will make his home among them; they shall be his people, and he will be their God; his name is God-with-them. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes; there will be no more death, and no more mourning or sadness. The world of the past has gone.’

    Then the One sitting on the throne spoke: ‘Now I am making the whole of creation new.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn13:34

Alleluia, alleluia!

I give you a new commandment:
love one another just as I have loved you, 
says the Lord.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
John 13:31-33,34-35
In the Son of Man, God has been glorified

When Judas had gone Jesus said:

‘Now has the Son of Man been glorified,
and in him God has been glorified.
If God has been glorified in him,
God will in turn glorify him in himself,
and will glorify him very soon.

‘My little children,
I shall not be with you much longer.
I give you a new commandment:
love one another;
just as I have loved you,
you also must love one another.
By this love you have for one another,
everyone will know that you are my disciples.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Refolection: Sunday - 15th May 2022

 

Today’s readings on this fifth Sunday of Easter contain inspiring but challenging messages for us Christian stewards. 
 
The Gospel from John includes this well-known verse: “My children…I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” 
 
What a succinct description of a stewardship way of life: “love one another as I have loved you.” It sounds so simple. But simple does not necessarily mean easy.
 
We must look at the context in which Jesus makes this statement. It is the Last Supper.  Judas has just stepped out discreetly to turn Jesus over to the authorities who will have Him bound, tortured, and crucified.
 
Furthermore, exactly how does He call us to love?  As He, Himself loved. Jesus loved (and loves) by serving us and by making a sacrifice of His very life for us. That is a tall order. 
 
No wonder we find Paul and Barnabas “strengthening” and “exhorting” the early disciples in our First Reading by saying, “it is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” Notice they don’t say “one or two” hardships or even “the occasional hardship”. They say “many” hardships.  So, it should not surprise us when we encounter challenges as we embrace stewardship, as a way of life.  If it’s demanding, we should take heart because it means we are doing it right!
 
Why is this? Living a life of service and self-sacrifice is not easy because it requires us to continuously fight against our selfish inclinations. But the more we empty ourselves of “self” by serving others, the more room we make in our hearts for God to pour His grace into us. Amazingly, the more we give our lives away to others, the more He fills us up with Himself who is love itself.
 
And amid those inevitable challenging moments this kind of life entails, we can be assured that the Lord who loves us so much that He died for us and established the Eucharist to be our strength and nourishment, is right here with us every step of the way.

Consider these words from Revelation found in our Second Reading today. “Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning or pain, for the old order has passed away… Behold, I make all things new.”
 
As we face the hardships that come with living as Christian stewards, we can continue to rejoice in the wonder of the Resurrection this Easter season, finding great joy in following in our Lord’s footsteps and in loving as He loves.

Bulletin - 08th May 2022

 

Mass Reading: Sunday - 08th May 2022

The Liturgy of the Word

First reading
Acts 13:14,43-52
'We must turn to the pagans'

    Paul and Barnabas carried on from Perga till they reached Antioch in Pisidia. Here they went to synagogue on the Sabbath and took their seats. 

    When the meeting broke up many Jews and devout converts joined Paul and Barnabas, and in their talks with them Paul and Barnabas urged them to remain faithful to the grace God had given them.

    The next sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of God. When they saw the crowds, the Jews, prompted by jealousy, used blasphemies and contradicted everything Paul said. Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly. ‘We had to proclaim the word of God to you first, but since you have rejected it, since you do not think yourselves worthy of eternal life, we must turn to the pagans. For this is what the Lord commanded us to do when he said:

    I have made you a light for the nations,
so that my salvation may reach the ends of the earth.’

    It made the pagans very happy to hear this and they thanked the Lord for his message; all who were destined for eternal life became believers. Thus the word of the Lord spread through the whole countryside.

    But the Jews worked upon some of the devout women of the upper classes and the leading men of the city and persuaded them to turn against Paul and Barnabas and expel them from their territory. So they shook the dust from their feet in defiance and went off to Iconium; but the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 99(100):1-3,5

We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.
    Serve the Lord with gladness.
    Come before him, singing for joy.

We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Know that he, the Lord, is God.
    He made us, we belong to him,
    we are his people, the sheep of his flock.

We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Indeed, how good is the Lord,
    eternal his merciful love.
    He is faithful from age to age.

We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

________

Second reading
Apocalypse 7:9,14-17
The Lamb will be their shepherd and will lead them to springs of living water

I, John, saw a huge number, impossible to count, of people from every nation, race, tribe and language; they were standing in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb, dressed in white robes and holding palms in their hands. One of the elders said, ‘These are the people who have been through the great persecution, and because they have washed their robes white again in the blood of the Lamb, they now stand in front of God’s throne and serve him day and night in his sanctuary; and the One who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. They will never hunger or thirst again; neither the sun nor scorching wind will ever plague them, because the Lamb who is at the throne will be their shepherd and will lead them to springs of living water; and God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn10:14

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my own sheep and my own know me.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
John 10:27-30
I know my sheep and they follow me

Jesus said:

‘The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice;
I know them and they follow me.

I give them eternal life;

they will never be lost
and no one will ever steal them from me.

The Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone,
and no one can steal from the Father.

The Father and I are one.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 08th May 2022

ACTS 13:14, 43-52; PS 100: 1-3,5; REV 7:9, 14B-17; JN 10:27-30 

Throughout the Easter season, our readings have given us glimpses into the life of the newborn Church and the bold witness of the early disciples in spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ to all who would listen. 
 
These disciples were the first to live a stewardship way of life. Their example is as relevant today as it was 2,000 years ago to inspire and guide us modern-day disciples. 
 
In the First Reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, we catch up with Paul and Barnabas in Antioch. While they certainly have some success in reaching many people there with the message of salvation, others are downright infuriated by their words and send them packing. Yet, we read the following verse to describe their reaction to this turn of events: “The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.” Overall, it seems as if Paul and Barnabas had failed in Antioch. But this witnessing of failure has not robbed them of their joy. What’s more, they are filled to the brim with the abundant gifts of the Holy Spirit. How is this possible? 
 
It is only possible because Paul and Barnabas saw themselves as nothing more and nothing less than stewards of Christ and His Good News. This realization brought them freedom — to offer themselves and their lives to others for the sake of the Gospel. The “results” of their efforts were up to God. They knew the Holy Spirit would never abandon them when their lives were focused on serving God and others and as a result, they experienced a profound sense of joy that does not depend on external circumstances, a joy the world cannot give.
 
This Spirit-filled, joy-filled life is available to all of us, all these years later. It can be achieved when we recognize, as did Paul and Barnabas, that all we have and all we are is a gift from God, meant to be shared with others for His glory. Of course, living as God’s stewards does not mean a life of ease or a life free of sacrifice. Sometimes the steward’s life involves great challenges, requiring all the strength and love one has to give. But in the end, there is simply no more satisfying way to live.
 
How can we grow in our identity as Christian stewards so that we, too, can be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit? The Gospel reading today tells us: we must live in trust and dependence on Jesus, our Shepherd.  When we cling tightly to Him by freeing ourselves from holding on too tightly to our “stuff,” our time, and our achievements, we can hear His voice. He says so Himself: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” He knows us! He laid down His life for us to give us eternal life with Him. He will never ask anything of us that will harm us. A stewardship way of life is meant only to enrich us.
 
So, this week let us resolve to take a step towards less concern about ourselves and greater trust in Him. We will become joy-filled, Spirit-filled stewards of His good news everywhere we go.